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5 October 2017

FEATURE: Top 5 Power Banks

Charge!

After Bluetooth headphones and speakers the most regular bit of kit we get sent to review has to be power banks. Portable chargers for phones and tablets are a way of life these days, especially as phones continue to develop far faster than the batteries inside them. We've seen a hell of a lot over the years, but wanted to gather together our favourite five for you delectation. Power to ya!

Griffin Survivor Power bank

This one stands our for being so damn tough. The Survivor from Griffin is a meaty stab of gadgetry, being water, dust, and shock proof. The battery inside has 10,500mAh capacity, making it above average in terms of number of charges it can supply to your phone. There's a little torch, too, so this really is the perfect camping and outdoors charger.

Not the catchiest of names, but this power bank from GP Design is pretty gorgeous looking. Sleek and fully metallic, there are two USB ports on the top, and it features the Qualcomm Quick Charge ability (as the name suggests). The name also suggests that it carries a battery with a 10,000mAh charge, so perfect for weekends away and regular trips.

The beefiest, heaviest, and most powerful on this list, the Power Amp 18 from ZAGG combines a phone charger with a flashlight. As you might guess, the capacity of the battery is 18,000mAh, and there are three USB ports on this thing, so great for sharing with friends. The torch is a full-size, full-blown light, with a lantern setting, too. It's pretty weighty though.

It might have the smallest capacity on this list, with a battery of just 4000mAh, but the QiStone+ from Fonesalesman is by far the most unique. It is a conventional power bank, with USB Micro in and USB out, but can also charge phones wirelessly if they are Qi compatible (which most modern smartphones now are). This means you simple have to place your phone on top of the pebble-like device and it will start to charge. Also, it too can be charged wirelessly, meaning you could charge a QiStone+ with another QiStone+ while that is being charged by a QiStone+, and on and on and on.

And now for our favourite ever - the very simple PNY Outdoor Charger. This power bank isn't the biggest, with a battery of 7800mAh, but it has proven itself again and again over the past few months. The rugged case is water and shock proof, there is a decent torch built in, and the combination of light weight, small size, and reasonable price makes it a total winner.

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The Test Pit is a place where all manner of things get tested... often to destruction. Gadgets, technology, toys, and clothing - all are fair game in the Pit. Our reviews are honest, jargon-free, and funny. Well, we try...